FIR against BJP minister for calling Colonel Qureshi 'terrorists' sister'

By Chanshimla Varah

May 14, 2025

05:15 pm

What's the story

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered that an FIR be filed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kunwar Vijay Shah by Wednesday evening for referring to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi as a "sister of terrorists." The court found prima facie evidence of offenses under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, against Shah. A division bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anuradha Shukla further warned that in case of any default by the DGP, he will also face prosecution.

Event details

Remarks made at cultural event

Shah, Madhya Pradesh's Tribal Affairs Minister, made the controversial remarks while speaking at a cultural function in Mhow. He was addressing a gathering when he suggested that Colonel Qureshi was from the community of people who had attacked India. "Those people (terrorists) who had wiped out the sindoor (vermilion) of our sisters (in the Pahalgam terror attack)... we avenged these people by sending their sister to destroy them," he said, commenting on 'Operation Sindoor.'

Public reaction

Shah's remarks sparked outrage

Shah's comments were viewed as disrespectful to Colonel Qureshi, who had become the face of 'Operation Sindoor,' giving press briefings about the military operations carried out by India against Pakistani terrorist sites. Congress party leaders denounced the remarks as an "attack on national unity, military dignity, and the honor of Indian women." They also called on PM Narendra Modi to "immediately dismiss such a minister."

Apology

Shah says he regretted his remarks

Amid massive backlash, Shah on Wednesday said that he regretted his remarks and that he was ready to "apologize 10 times." "Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is more important than my real sister. I had nothing in my mind; if something slipped out of the excitement and hurt someone, then I would like to apologize from the heart," he told ANI. MP BJP president VD Sharma also said that the party "immediately warned" Shah for his remarks on Colonel Qureshi.